What I go back to is my need for community. Intentional space shared with others. That’s what I love and thrive on. I was reminded this weekend all the ways that I’ve created community over the years–through sorority, through ASP, through The Journey, through Inclusives, through international travel, through Women’s Retreat, and so on. I thrive on being around others, I thrive on traditions and deliberate concentrated shared time. And when I feel that void in my life, I create what I need to feel like I’m thriving again. Oftentimes it has the added bonus of being a positive affect on others as well.

This weekend was exactly the community and the people I needed to be around. The endless laughter, the tears, the sweat, the raw honesty, the vulnerability and willingness to go deep, the quiet (and the noise), the nature, the opportunity to reflect and recenter. This group of women fuels my soul. They make me remember that where I am in life is fine, and I am supported and loved come what may.

I’m thankful for the space my friend Anne made by facilitating this weekend. Oftentimes I am the one leading and I so appreciate the opportunity to slow down and not always know what’s next. There are no words for the things shared this weekend–but it was truly exactly what my heart needed.

The idea of community makes me so excited about starting classes and being with a cohort the next three years. This will be a community, people I’m bound to get close to and probably remain colleagues with over the years. It makes me excited about a book club on the horizon–of connecting in a new way with people I know and some I don’t know. It makes me excited about the possibility of another Inclusives Retreat.

Community inspires me, lights me up, drives me forward, and gives me a safe haven. Each community is different: unique and specific in its reach. Generally I create community because of a need I see. But the added benefits are endless. Community helps us dig deep, growth, and flourish.